Viva la Vida: Revolutionaries Wait
by 4evahpluva17
Summary: Sequel to Viva la Vida. A picture is worth a thousand galleons - when it involves two of the unlikeliest people caught in the act of doing the unlikeliest thing. H/D - complete! i would still love a warm fuzzy review :
1. Chapter 1

**Viva La Vida: Revolutionaries Wait For my Head on a Silver Plate (full name)**

**a/n: **I hate that this took me so long but I'm excited for this sequel! I have major plans for this one so stick with me here. AND of course review…pleasey please. For real, reviews make my life. So yea, I don't own Harry Potter, and the lyrics in the title are from Coldplay, not me. ENJOYYY!

**Chapter One**

The fact remained, Harry Potter was still gorgeous. He had accumulated quite an egotistical air over the past couple weeks when his friends had divulged to him that he was indeed a sex pot. He took the news with surprise but after he realized that everyone wanted him he became a new man.

But now his world came down to one figure. His name is Draco Malfoy.

Very quickly Harry's obsession with himself ended and his energy was channeled to this…being of such unfathomable excellence that it nearly made Harry's head spin. It was almost disconcerting how obsessed he was.

Almost.

Now, the raven haired boy sat in Transfiguration – of course not listening to a word Professor McGonagall uttered – looking out the window to the lake.

The great mass of murky water rippled and swayed at the disturbance caused by the Giant Squid. Harry stared for awhile fantasizing about the extremely forbidden kisses him and Draco exchanged at impossible hours of the night.

Something about the fact that these late night exchanges were so unexpected and so _not right _made Harry feel more aroused by it. He liked the adrenaline rush he'd get when his mind played tricks on him to make him think he heard footsteps trailing after him on his way to meet his soon-to-be lover. The way his heart pounded, thudded against his rib cage, rattling it and making his breath hitch and stagger – he liked it.

Mainly he just thought he was a bad arse. That somehow sneaking out made him seem just so cool.

The Giant Squid now glided farther from his view, a tentacle skimming the water's choppy surface. Harry averted his eyes to the tree shading the room from the sun outside. On one of the leaves he noticed a glittering beetle resting almost as if it was looking at him.

"Potter!" McGonagall barked, "Will you _pay attention_? I don't speak for my health you know. Now if you would kindly transfigure my desk back into its original form."

From behind McGonagall a pig with quills and parchment and moving pictures on its back, gave a snort.

-:-

"Ronald!"

He hadn't expected her to take the news so harshly.

"You mean to tell me you _MADE_ Harry become and egotistical prat?!"

Hermione resembled his mother, Molly Weasley, now, with her hands on her hips and a matching look of fury on her face.

Ron thought that since Harry was no longer acting like such a bastard it'd be okay to tell Hermione, his girlfriend, that it was indeed him who fiddled with Harry's ego. He'd used the Ego Reversal Potion with the help of Blaise Zabini.

"So Zabini was in on this too?" Hermione roared.

Birds in a nearby tree fluttered out of it, startled by the noise.

"Since when did you start talking with him? You hate Slytherins!"

Brushing off the subject, Ron said, "That's not the point. The point is Harry is not acting ridiculous anymore."

Hermione quirked an eyebrow at him as though considering that perhaps the fact that Harry was normal again was good.

"Well yes…" she started a in a bit more of a calm tone, "…I suppose you're right."

Ron smiled at her.

"See? Everything's fine now," he said hurriedly.

"But…he still seems a bit off. Distant kind of…" Hermione trailed. She tapped her chin in wonder.

_Oh crap, _Ron thought, _she noticed. _

-:-

Ginny Weasley, Lisa Limm and Colin Creevey sat in the noisey Gryffindor common room that evening coming up with strange diagnosis for Harry's _new_ behavior.

"It is possible though that he was slipped a Depression Drought," Colin pressed.

"No, no! The look in his eyes are loopy and drooley. He's in love," Ginny said with complete confidence.

"NO!" Lisa practically shouted causing the entire common room to turn their heads.

"Calm down," Colin rolled his eyes as Lisa ducked her head into the crook of her elbow.

Ginny tried to stifle her giggles at Lisa's silliness.

"Anyway," Colin said impatiently trying to renew the conversation. "Whether we like it or not it is very possible that Harry is in love," he continued.

"But…but…" Lisa spluttered at a loss for words. "He…he's suppose to love me."

Ginny, was _this_ close to saying something but she didn't. She couldn't hurt Lisa with her sarcasm, it'd be heartless. For Lisa had a hard time understanding that not every single one of her "loves" would love her back.

Especially, since she had put so much energy into her crush on Harry Potter. She had it so set in her head that she'd one day catch the heart of the noble hero.

Ginny thought the whole idea was ridiculous.

The whole idea of Harry Potter, that is. To be honest, Ginny was kind of sick of him. And she was definitely sick of Lisa's obsession for him. It was high time she moved on.

-:-

"Blaise," Pansy started tentatively. Her voice had that hint of worry that was normally Blaise's cue to evacuate the area.

The dark boy stood up from the black leather couch in the Slytherin common room and stretched his long torso, prepared to turn in for the night. He pretended not to hear Pansy calling for him and tiptoed toward the boys' dormitories.

"Blaise!" Pansy's shrill voice split his ear drums. She grabbed hold of the neck of his robes and pulled him back into the thick of the common room and pushed him into a chair at one of the work tables.

"I've been trying to catch your attention for the past ten minutes, what's wrong with you?!" her eyes popped giving her a slightly mad look.

"Er, sorry, I was kind of spacing out," Blaise lied.

"Now. I'm worried about Draco, he seems so…not himself lately…You're his best friend. What's going on with my baby?"

Blaise rolled his eyes at the delusion Pansy had that Draco was her "baby". But he didn't exactly have the heart to tell her otherwise, especially with the given situation…

-:-

Draco, hidden by a Disillusionment Charm, slipped right by Blaise who was being interrogated by Pansy, out of the common room. Once he was in the Entrance Hall, he lifted the charm and scuttled along the hallways and chambers to the Spot.

The blonde's insides writhed with adrenaline as he waited for the Chosen Devirginizer. Even though this whole idea was completely absurd and wrong on so many accounts; he loved it. He loved sneaking out at night, meeting Potter in the designated spot and getting the pants snogged off him.

It was wrong yes, but it felt deliciously good.

Then he was being pinned against the wall by some invisible being. At first he thought, _what the hell? _But then he felt a very familiar hand run up his flank.

"Potter."

"Malfoy," the other boy purred.

"Take off the cloak, not being able to see you is weird."

In a whoosh of cloth, Draco was staring at a godly creature with messy black hair, inexplicably gold skin, emeralds for eyes and a gorgeous body. A bit of his chest could be seen from the opening in his shirt where his tie was missing.

Almost immediately at the mere sight of him, Draco started to feel hot in the face.

Potter stared into his eyes, his face glazed with lust and desire.

Then, without being able to contain himself any longer he pulled Potter forcefully to him and latched his mouth over his.

Draco thought that he for sure was seeing stars, as if a burst of white hotness was exploding at his mouth as Potter's tongue twisted his own and explored it with expertise. He wondered how someone could possibly be _this good _at kissing. How someone could make every cell in your body move together in one rhythm.

Trying to keep up Draco pulled Potter ever closer – he could almost feel their bodies molding together – and kissed Harry Potter with more gusto than he had ever kissed anyone in his life.

When he slipped his hands under the Chosen One's shirt he felt Potter grind against him and let out a moan into his mouth.

And then just when Draco thought he was going to crawl up the wall in ecstasy, a _pop, _brought him back to Earth.

-:-

"Gin, you have to see this!"

Ginny looked up from her Potions essay to see Colin practically stomping over a pack of first years near the portrait hole to get to her. He had a wild look in his eye.

_Uh oh, _Ginny thought. His news could only be about one person.

"Where's Lisa?" he asked his voice sounding strange, but before Ginny could say anything Lisa came down from the girls' dormitory. "Here I am, what's up?"

"Sit."

Lisa sat on the couch next to Ginny with a quizzical look. "What's going on?"

"I know exactly why Harry's been acting oddly. Look at this."

Colin held out a photograph in front of the two girls. Ginny peered at it not exactly sure what she was seeing. Then Lisa shot up grabbing the photo from Colin's hands. Ginny stood up next to her to get a good look.

"Oh my god."

* * *

more to come, i swear....


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Happy Thanksgiving everyone! :) I'd be very thankful if you reviewed :) oh yea i own nothing. **

**Enjoy! **

**Chapter Two**

Madame Pomfrey rubbed small circles on Ginny's back trying to reassure her.

"She'll be alright dear, she's just in shock. The remedy should kick in, in about several hours, okay?" Madame Pomfrey said softly.

It was rare that the school nurse was ever this sympathetic, though the worried looks on Colin and Ginny's faces were enough to concern anyone. It also helped that Madame Pomfrey wasn't quick to ask questions because Ginny was certain that she could never be able to explain in the first place.

The nurse left them alone and went into her office, closing the door behind her.

Ginny plopped into the chair next to Lisa's bed. She stared at her almost doll-like looking face – not moving. Her eyes were wide open and her mouth was formed in the shape of an "o".

"I can't believe this," Ginny breathed.

"Believe what? That Lisa actually went into shock or that Harry and Malfoy are…"

"It's just so random, I'm just wondering how this came about," Ginny said her eyes furrowed.

Normally Ginny believed herself to be very observant, but this bit of news being revealed made her wonder what else she didn't know…

"Well, how did they react when you caught them?" Ginny asked.

"Oh they flipped out, especially Malfoy. He looked as though he was ready to burst into tears. Harry made me promise not to show it to anyone. Like _that _was going to happen. H.P.L.U. will have a field day!" Colin replied getting more excited.

"_Un_-believable."

H.P.L.U. was the ridiculous club Colin was apart of that worshipped Harry Potter along with other extremely obsessed boys.

"What?" Colin asked his face blank.

"You honestly are the most pathetic person I've ever met - apart from Lisa. When are you two going to get over yourselves?" Colin blinked. "Harry isn't some freak show and he's not worth all of that energy!"

"Oh Gin, I'm not going to auction off the damn picture. It'll just be another picture to add to H.P.L.U.'s collection," Colin said, innocent as ever.

Abruptly, Ginny arose from her chair rolling her eyes, and left the infirmary. She just couldn't take it anymore.

-:-

Hermione sat with Ginny in the Gryffindor common room (they were practically the only ones) curled up on the couch reading an ancient spellbook for History of Magic.

For the oddest reason, Hermione found herself having an unexplainably hard time focusing on her school work.

So maybe it wasn't that unexplainable.

Her boyfriend Ron was always distracting, whether it was mentally or physically. Maybe why it seemed so odd to her, was that she didn't care if she was focused or not.

This, be assured, was a very rare state of mind for the intelligent girl.

Then, Hermione was snapped out of her thoughts when Ginny let out a very frustrated sigh.

"Gin? What's wrong?" Hermione asked sympathetically.

"Nothing," Ginny replied roughly.

"You're just sort of quiet, that's all so I…."

"I said I'm _fine, _Hermione."

The seventh year bit her lip. _No need to be so grouchy, _she thought.

Wondering if Ron was asleep yet, Hermione closed her book and headed up to the boys' dormitory/ Ginny wasn't even paying attention so she didn't notice.

As she passed it a bright red flyer caught her eye:

**ATTENTION**

~ALL H.P.L.U. MEMBERS~

An urgent meeting will be held this Friday

Immediately after lunch.

Walking up the winding staircase to the dormitory she briefly wondered what H.P.L.U. was.

-:-

It was official.

Draco Malfoy was just going to have to kill himself. That's it. There was no other alternative.

Ugh.

Why had he been so stupid?

He never should have gotten involved with Potter in the first place. Messing with him was just dumb, especially with his little groupies frolicking about!

And Colin!

The little skeeze had evidence that he indeed was snogging Potter. And thoroughly enjoying it.

_Fuck. _

-:-

Colin practically skipped to the hidden classroom on the first floor that held H.P.L.U. meetings. He was full to bursting, hardly able to contain himself he was so excited.

He had mixed feelings, though, as to how the boys would react to the picture his oh-so-skilled-self had taken. Colin pushed all negative thoughts away, he'd soon find out.

Once he came to the portrait of a witch sneaking into a wooden door that covered the entrance he looked up and down the hall to make sure no students were around and muttered the password, "Green-eyed beauty." The portrait transformed into a door and Colin slipped through.

The room was brightly decorated with various posters and photos of the Chosen One. At one end of the room was a blazing fire where all the members were gathered. They looked towards the door when they heard him come in, with slightly giddy looks on their faces. Except for one face which looked worried.

"What's wrong Nigel?" Colin asked swiping a beetle off the armchair sitting closest to the fire and sitting down.

"I haven't finished my recordings on Harry yet Colin! The next meeting isn't supposed to be until the first week in May," Nigel piped.

"Not to worry, I have something better," Colin beamed so hard he almost radiated his own light.

Everyone seemed to lean closer, eager to know what Colin was so excited about.

To add suspense he slowly reached into his robes and retrieved the picture. He held it up to them and said, "Behold!"

It took a second for all the boys to get a good look at it and when they did their eyes widened to the size of Galleons.

"Pass it around!" one of the boys demanded.

Colin passed it to Aaron Clover, a Hufflepuff second year who was sitting on his right. Everyone crowded around him trying to get a better look.

"Isn't it amazing?" Colin beamed even more.

"Is that really Draco Malfoy, Colin? Or did you just magic him in?" a rather skeptical boy, Joel Hand, asked.

"_Yes, Joel,_" Colin replied taking offense at just magicking the picture, "There'd be no point in showing you and issuing a meeting if I had just manipulated it."

Joel took the thought into consideration then, as if deciding Colin was indeed right, he went back to goggling at the picture like everyone else.

"Alright mates, listen up," Colin clapped his hands to regain order. He took the picture out of Joel's thin little hands and with a flourish of his wand he placed it next to another picture of their worshipped hero, clad in only swim trunks prepared to take a dip in the lake.

"Now that we have this very _real _information not only do we need to keep tabs on Harry but Malfoy as well," everyone looked around at each other excitedly. "And instead of having just one person record observations I want _all _of you to. Any and all observations okay? I want to see if we can paste together how these two nemeses got together."

The H.P.L.U. members all broke into side conversations about the new assignment, Nigel, the loudest of them all.

"We'll reconvene same time next week alright?" Colin said over the noise.

The boys filed out still talking animatedly about Harry and Draco. Feeling satisfied at the turn out of the meeting, Colin exited the classroom after extinguishing the fireplace and setting up a new password for the secret place, just in case some outside source somehow happened to catch the other one.

Colin traipsed back up to the Gryffindor common room hoping to catch Lisa who had just come from the infirmary that afternoon.

Then just as he was nearing the Fat Lady, a clawed hand reached out and grabbed him from behind, putting their other hand over this mouth to stifle his screams. Colin struggled and flailed against his captor, fruitlessly trying to break free. He tried to bite the unknown hand but he couldn't even move his mouth against the thick flesh.

The captor dragged Colin a little ways down the hall and stuffed him headfirst into a broom cupboard. The person locked the door behind him…or her, then let go of Colin.

"What the _sodding hell _is going-''

"Shut up!" It was a woman's voice.

Colin could swear he knew that voice. It was deep, almost not feminine.

"Lumos," she muttered. From her wand burst a shot of white light, illuminating her face.

"Rita Skeeter."

She looked sort of pathetic. Her curls were flat and lifeless and her face seemed to have aged another twenty years. The one thing that was still the same, were her inch long nails. They were midnight black and somewhat menacing.

"You're not allowed to be here, Skeeter," Colin narrowed his eyes.

"Look Creevey, I have a proposition for you," Colin raised his eyebrows, "I can offer you one thousand Galleons for a particularly…er…_interesting _item you have."

Colin folded his arms over his chest, feeling a new sense of courage and power that he had something Rita Skeeter wanted. "And what would that be?"

"That picture you took of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. It would make a brilliant story. _Witch Weekly _offered me a job if I could produce a story good enough to raise their number of copies sold. This would be perfect. I could see it now. _Chosen One Snogs With Future Death Eater," _Skeeter said looking away wistfully.

Personally Colin thought that _Witch Weekly _sold plenty of copies. But he'd never hand over that picture. He couldn't expose Harry that way.

"No, Skeeter."

"But think of all you could do with one thousand Galleons. You could go so far with H.P.L.U.!"

"How do you…"

"What ignoramus turns down a thousand Galleons, Creevey?"

"I refuse to sell out Harry. Not all of us want to ruin people's lives you know. Harry has had enough troubles as it is without you screwing in everything."

Rita Skeeter swelled looking as if she might slap him but Colin didn't back down or cower away.

"Now, if you don't mind, _Rita, _I have someone to see."

Colin unlocked the door and left the broom cupboard leaving the story hungry woman speechless.

-:-

Harry Potter sat in the library trying to study but his eyes kept glazing over the same line. How could he possibly be studying at a time like this, though?

Ever since the…er, incident, Draco had been ignoring him. Of course it was natural for them to ignore each other in public but normally Draco had a quirky way of acknowledging him when no one was looking.

It'd been about three days and they had not have even talked.

And with Hermione and Ron sneaking off, he felt very….alone.

The raven haired boy had felt loneliness before but this time was different. Something, he couldn't quite place it, about Draco made him feel like he was part of something simpler but better than just saving the world and being the hero. Like he was just a regular person like everyone else.

"Oh! Er, sorry Harry."

He looked up to see Ginny, who was going rather pink in the face.

"No, it's fine, I'm not even comprehending this anyway. What's up?"

Ginny stuck her tongue between her teeth, something Harry loved when they were going out. "Oh, I just, er, have to get a book from over here. I didn't…..er, mean to disturb you."

"No you didn't, Gin."

She turned pinker and Harry slightly wondered if she still fancied him a little, because Ginny Weasley never acted nervous in the presence of males.

-:-

A note landed on Ron's desk in Potions. He quirked an eyebrow at the balled up piece of parchment thinking notes were so fourth year.

Before anyone could notice he completely ignored his Nail Strengthening Potion and opened the parchment. He smoothed it out and read: _we need to talk. _

It was from Blaise. He could tell his handwriting from a mile away since he tended to take up all the space on the paper.

Then the ink faced and a new message appeared: _back of the library …_

The message had to erase itself again to finish the rest of the sentence: _…before you head to lunch. _

Ron looked up and spotted Blaise aimlessly looking about the room clearly finished with his potion. Ron caught the Slytherin's eye and nodded. Blaise gave him a jerk of the head in reply.

The red head stuffed the note into the pocket of his robes and returned to his hopeless Nail Strengthener.

"What do you need strong nails for anyway?" Ron muttered angrily.

Harry, who was next to him, would normally make a snide comment in agreement. But he said nothing, just looked down into his cauldron stirring its contents slowly.

_Indeed, _Ron thought, him and Blaise needed to have a chat.

-:-

The bell rang for lunch and the Gryffindors and Slytherins filed out in a rush. As they walked out of the dungeons Ron lazily threw an arm around Hermione's neck. "Save me a seat at lunch, 'kay? I have to go to the library for a moment," he said.

Hermione arched her eyebrows at him. "Never in all my years have I seen you volunteer your time to the library, Ronald."

Ron laughed.

"Do you need help finding it?" Hermione asked laughing.

"Heh heh," Ron fake laughed and kissed her on the forehead then walked in the opposite direction from the Great Hall. Being tall, Ron parted the crowd as he made his way to the library.

Even at lunch the ambitious few stayed in to study. How anyone could possibly stay in the place for more than half an hour bedazzled Ron.

He walked to the back where he found Blaise looking out the window. When he heard him come up, he turned to face him. The look in Blaise's face was one Ron didn't like. Blaise had worry lines in his forehead and his shoulders were practically hunched up to his ears.

"I'm worried," he started, "Draco has been depressed since Friday. We're talking suicidal, Ron."

"So has Harry. I don't know what's up with them," Ron replied walking next to Blaise.

"Normally Draco and I can talk about anything but he won't tell me what's up. And of course Pansy's having a sodding cow…" he looked out the window again. "Do you think we shouldn't have got them together?"

"To be honest," Ron said, "I'm not so sure."


	3. Chapter 3

**a/n: Happy Holidays everyone! Here's a new chapter to ring in the new year. **

**I don't own this. **

**Enjoy! **

**Chapter Three **

An Unprecedented Couple

Harry James Potter, Savior of the Wizarding World seems to have taken up another hobby besides playing hero. That hobby is apparently non-other than almost-Death Eater, Draco Malfoy. Shocking eh?

Up until this year the two boys were sworn enemies since the day they met but a sudden event must have changed their minds. The two had been sneaking out various times during the week to engage in passionate snogging sequences. They had one particular spot where they always met until the very talented (and stubborn) Colin Creevey caught the two on camera (seen to the left).

I want to congratulate Mr. Creevey on his spiffing photography talent. Most of his talent has been put to use for his little club known as H.P.L.U. (Harry Potter Lovers United). The club is made of mostly young boys who look up to their hero with immense (if not utterly ridiculous) admiration. Their reaction to the picture Creevey had taken was pure excitement and they had been directed by the photographer to not only stalk Potter but poor Malfoy as well.

For others who were informed of the pair, such as another Hogwarts attendant, Lisa Limm, the news was literally shocking; former girlfriend Ginny Weasley, found the news confusing wondering how Harry could choose the young Malfoy heir over her. The poor girls, Limm and Weasley, have been found numerous times in the restrooms crying out their poor broken hearts.

Another Potter groupie, Romilda Vane has personally told me of all her failed attempts in winning Potter's heart: "I admit that I've been pathetic, but I've never known any one like him before and something about him just makes me crazy." Her reaction to the couple was parallel to Limm and Weasley's.

And for those who are just finding out the news what do you think? (Send in your comments, questions or concerns and see them in the next _Witch Weekly_ issue.)

Now that we know some truths about the Golden Boy it could only make us wonder if he'd always known he was indeed a fairy and why specifically he played the part of a hardcore hero? Was it to cover up his true rainbow colors? It's hard to tell but be sure that you'll view the Boy-Who-Lived a tad differently the next time you see him.

_Your faithful correspondent, Rita Skeeter _

**-:-**

Blaise and Pansy fruitlessly attempted to drag Draco out of bed on Sunday morning. They tugged him out of bed, jinxed him but his depression fought all of that off. He just crawled right back to his bed and scuttled under the covers, hiding like a turtle.

"Oh, Blaise!" cried Pansy, clinging to his arm. "What has gotten _in _to him? I want my Draco back!"

Blaise sympathetically rubbed her back as they walked out of the boys' dormitory and onto the Great Hall for breakfast.

"He'll come around soon," Blaise told her as they sat at the Slytherin table.

He kept saying it but he was starting to believe it less and less.

-:-

Harry slumped in the familiar direction of the Great Hall, his feet dragging him along, but in the Entrance Hall he heard voices.

"You really think he won't notice? Don't try and protect him Ron, there's no point!"

"Shh! Hermione! I'm just worried, I don't think he'll be able to handle it."

"Handle what?" Harry asked coming into view.

Ron nearly jumped out of his skin in alarm. Hermione's face turned stony and hard. She nudged Ron in the ribs.

Harry raised his eyebrows at them waiting impatiently for an explanation. Ron opened his mouth but not even a squeak came out of it. Harry sucked in his breath; it took all the willpower that existed in him to not scream, yell and carry on at them. He was sick of everyone tiptoeing around him especially those two because they acted as if he would explode or something.

Then the doors of Hogwarts were thrown open with a bang causing all three students to divert their attention.

From outside, in walked Rita Skeeter as if she owned the place, along with her sleezy camera man.

"I smell drama in the air, Arnold," Skeeter said to her camera man in a pompous voice that only meant disaster for anyone else.

And then out of nowhere Hermione zipped towards the reporter and tackled her to the ground; the assaulted woman let out a piercing cry.

"Hermione!" Ron and Harry yelled at the same time.

But the bushy haired young lady did not reply, instead she continuously socked the living daylights out of Rita Skeeter, blood spattering everywhere and screaming incoherent and no doubt obscene phrases.

Too stunned to do anything Ron, Harry and the camera man, Arnold, just stood watching.

The noise attracted the attention of those in the Great Hall. Everyone came rushing out of the room to see what was going on.

The brawl worsened and soon the figures of Ginny Weasley, Lisa Limm and Romilda Vane came sprinting from the crowd to aide Hermione in the beating of Rita Skeeter.

The crowd started yelling, encouraging them and moved closer to the group to get a better look.

Over the noise Harry yelled, "We need to stop them!"

Ron nodded and rushed after Harry to save Skeeter from her death. Ron went for Hermione who had the look of the devil etched into her face as she flailed about trying to get back to what she'd started. The front of her robes was stained with blood and her fingers were swelling.

Harry went for Lisa and Ginny who were just as reluctant as Hermione to get off Skeeter. Next to him Luna Lovegood struggled with Romilda.

"What is this about?" Harry asked Luna.

"_That bitch_!" Hermione screamed having heard Harry's question. "That bitch! I'm going to fucking kill her! I swear on my life I will!"

The camera man just shuffled around taking picture after picture of the scene when three swooping figures parted the crowd. It was Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape and Hagrid.

"All righ'!" Hagrid boomed. "Break it up, break it up! All o' yeh! To yeh dormitories!"

The crowd slowly peeled away chatting louder than ever and staring back at Harry.

Professor McGonagall caught sight of the state of the unconscious Skeeter and turned gray.

"What is the meaning of this, ladies?" she barked at the obvious culprits. "Let them go. And you! Fool!" she said to the photographer, "Get the bloody hell out of here!" The man scuttled out of the school. "Luna," McGonagall turned back to the students, "fetch Madame Pomfrey."

"The Know-It-All finally snaps eh?" Snape said slyly.

"Shut up Severus!" McGonagall snapped, then turning back to Romilda, Lisa, Ginny, Hermione, Harry and Ron, "Explain!"

-:-

Everyone who had been left at the assaulting sight had traveled to the infirmary where Madame Pomfrey was cleaning up the now awakened reporter.

"I could sue for this you know!" Skeeter yelled.

"So could Harry, Lisa, Ginny, Romilda and Draco for writin' false information about 'em!" Hagrid boomed back.

"Oh shut it you dimwit you don't even know what you're speaking of. I can assure you my facts on Potter and Malfoy are true!"

"Stop fidgeting, my god woman!" Madame Pomfrey slapped Skeeter on the forehead.

"Now look here!" she started.

"Harry!" Hagrid wheeled around to face him. "Tell me this hag is lying!"

The boy looked up from his lap into Hagrid's eyes that said he knew his Harry couldn't possibly be having _those_ kind of relations with Draco Malfoy.

"Harry?" Hagrid said again.

Without being about to look at anyone anymore Harry got up from his chair and walked out of the infirmary with everyone staring solemnly after him.

He'd finally seen the article and he'd seen the hurt look on Hagrid's face. He'd also wondered if Draco had seen it or knew anything about it.

Harry had been publicly humiliated before. And Rita Skeeter wasn't a stranger in that area. But he guessed it was easier to deal with all of those other things before, mainly because they weren't true.


	4. Chapter 4

**a/n: Last chapter guys, review til you can't review anymore (please). Enjoy **

**Chapter Four **

Draco had a nasty headache. One of those headaches that make your eyes water and you become sensitive to light. He knew there was a name for it but he wasn't in a state to try and figure it out.

The blonde had skipped morning classes on Monday, refusing to face the catastrophe that lay beyond the curtains of his four-poster. He weaved in and out of disturbed sleep, slipping through dreams of Potter and Rita Skeeter and the Ministry of Magic locking him up for "fairy activity".

He'd taken all kinds of Healer potions to cure his headache but he was never good at medical remedies. The intelligent thing would be to go to Madame Pomfrey, but no way was the blonde stepping a toe out of bed.

Then his curtains were swung to the side and two very angry people stared down at him.

"_Excuse me_!" Draco flared at them. "I am trying to sleep off a ridiculous headache, so if you would kindly pull back my curtains…"

"Draco Malfoy! Grow some balls and get your arse the hell out of bed!" Blaise yelled, a face of fury.

"Are you crazy?"

"Are you?"

"You are being a baby, Draco," Pansy added. "Potter is out there dealing with all kinds of humiliation and you're in here hiding."

Draco's eyes popped to hear Pansy commend Potter on bravery and use it against him. Normally she always saw his side of the story.

"How could you possibly leave him alone that way? You two have something and now that it's gone a tad screwey you're just going to leave him on his own? You know he would never do that to you," Pansy told him with certainty.

Draco furrowed his eyebrows, "When did you become a Potter expert?"

"This is Potter we're talking about how could you not know him?" Blaise shouted. "You need to get it together and go out there."

"You don't understand Blaise!" Draco threw himself out of bed then so he could properly tell him off face to face. "You don't get it! How does this look? Me and Potter? I'm a Malfoy and all of this isn't supposed to happen to me! I have to hold up my family name with honor and dignity. _This _is definitely no way to go about that."

"Neither is acting like a coward!" Blaise fired back.

Draco narrowed his eyes at the boy before him. He hated when Blaise or Pansy said something inevitably right.

"Draco," Pansy started in a calmer tone than Blaise, "whatever this is between you and Potter is going to have to be dealt with eventually. You have to…you have to stand up for those you love and care about. You have to be there for him."

"I don't love him!" Draco denied.

"If you didn't this wouldn't be such a big deal!"

Draco shook his head. He couldn't find the words to explain himself. He owed his friends an explanation but the words wouldn't come to him. In defeat he crawled back into bed and drew his curtains.

"Just leave me alone," he muttered.

From the other side of the curtain he heard Blaise's discouraged sigh and the two left the dormitory.

He knew he was a coward, but it was for a different reason than being humiliated for the rest of his days. The reason was that he was afraid that it was possible that he _did _love Potter.

-:-

Professor McGonagall called Hermione, Romilda, Lisa and Ginny to her office before dinner Monday evening.

The four young ladies sat before the Headmistress with vague ideas of what this was about.

"I received an owl last night from Rita Skeeter's Arguer, Phyllis Danch. She informed me that Skeeter is suing the four of you for assault and high Healing bills. Now, I've been going back and forth with Madame Danch but I don't think we can get past you all attending a trial with the Wizengamot."

"You have got to be shitting me."

"Miss Granger!" McGonagall barked infuriated.

"Excuse my language Professor but this is utterly ridiculous."

"It doesn't matter how asinine you think this is but you, Miss Limm, Miss Weasley and Miss Vane assaulted Rita Skeeter giving her the right to sue," McGonagall said sternly. "Now I've informed your parents of the trial scheduled for Friday at 11:00 am. You've been excused from classes that day, as you'll be in London. Any questions?"

The Headmistress looked at the stony faces before her and felt the need to reach out to them. "Ladies, look, I know and understand your fury towards Skeeter. Also I commend you for showing loyalty to the truth but with certain actions come certain consequences."

"Can we leave please?" Hermione asked softly.

McGonagall looked to the eldest of the four quizzically. The young witch wouldn't look at her but instead into her lap with a snarl on her face as if she was holding back some choice words.

McGonagall didn't quite understand this new attitude about Hermione. She had a right to be angry but to not feel any sort of remorse was not like the intelligent young witch.

-:-

"Sued!" Harry yelled.

"Can she really do that?" Ron asked.

"We assaulted her," Hermione told them in a defeated voice.

Ron, detecting the tone in her voice said, "Me and Harry can come, we can be witnesses!"

Hermione gave her loving boyfriend a wan smile and patted his hand. "Thanks."

-:-

What had she done? Her family couldn't afford to pay of medical bills. How could she have been so stupid?

Ginny lay in her bed looking out the window. After McGonagall had told them the news she lost her appetite. She imagined the worst scenarios: her parents having to sell their house and moving in with Bill and Fleur at Shell Cottage, or begging on the streets of Muggle London for food, or taking in loans from the Ministry. Ginny was just waiting for her parents to read the news in the evening _Prophet; _then sending their daughter a Howler.

A tear slipped down the red head's nose, as she wished badly that she could go back in time, for the sake of her parents.

"Gin?"

Ginny wiped her face and sat up to see Lisa entering the dormitory.

"Hi," Ginny replied.

Lisa walked up next to Ginny's bed and sat a plate on her nightstand. "I thought I'd bring you some food in case you got hungry."

"Thanks."

Lisa sat on the bed and looked at Ginny uncertainly. Ginny could tell she wasn't sure what to say. The red head's chin quivered and soon tears were streaming from her eyes.

Lisa wrapped her friend in a hug and held her until she fell asleep. As she slept, Lisa stayed with her and wondered if maybe, just maybe this would all work out in their favor.

-:-

Colin raised the knife to his throat with a shaking hand. He was alone in the common room and he could just imagine people storming in to go to breakfast and seeing his dead body sprawled across the common room floor, blood everywhere.

He told himself twenty minutes ago that he was going to do it, yet he still had a pulse.

_Okay, _he said to himself (again), _here we go…_

"Colin?"

Startled, Colin dropped the knife, which barely missed his toe. "Lisa! What….what are you doing up?"

"Getting breakfast…what exactly are you doing?" Lisa asked him slowly. She placed her hands on her hips.

Colin's chin dropped to his chest, "This, all this, is my fault. I should have gotten rid of the picture. I mean I don't even know how Rita even got it. I just shouldn't have even taken the picture…"

"Colin, calm down. Bad things happen, but they get fixed alright?" Lisa said rubbing his shoulders. "So, er, what were you planning on doing with that knife?"

Colin sighed, "Trying to do myself in."

"Colin. You can't even take blood samples without crying."

The blonde turned red and gave Lisa a sloppy grimace.

"Well yeah. I just felt so bad now that you and Gin, Hermione and Romilda have to go to London."

"That was our faults, not yours."

Lisa pointed her wand at the knife left on the floor and Vanished it.

"Now let's get some breakfast."

-:-

As Hermione was filing out of the Transfiguration classroom Professor McGonagall called, "Miss Granger, a word please."

The young witch sighed and told Harry and Ron to save her a seat at lunch. After everyone exited the classroom McGonagall closed the door then gestured Hermione take a seat in the front row.

The Headmistress leaned against her desk and looked hard at Hermione.

"Um, you wanted to speak with me Professor?" she asked trying to move things along so this little conference could be over.

"Miss Granger. I'm absolutely stunned at you."

Hermione didn't ask why but waited for McGonagall to say more.

"And I'm concerned for you. I feel like there's a lot more to your actions against Rita Skeeter than just her writing fiction."

Hermione sighed and examined her nails. For some reason she felt a bubbling frustration rise in her and she knew if she opened her mouth she'd be shouting at the Headmistress. So she held her tongue.

McGonagall continued, catching Hermione's silence, "Would you care to explain this to me?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Well, I suppose you can go now."

The bushy haired girl left the room quickly wanting to be away from McGonagall. She leaned against the wall outside and did some deep breathing.

Now that she thought about it, she wondered why exactly she'd felt so angry that she needed to beat up Skeeter. Hermione liked to think she was very in control of her emotions but something very deep down inside of her must have erupted.

-:-

Harry skipped dinner. He wasn't hungry. Harry hadn't been much of anything lately. The events over the past couple of days were like something out of a dramatic movie, not his own life.

As he lay on the couch, staring at the ceiling of the Gryffindor common room, he wished, despite how ridiculous he was acting, that he could talk to Draco about it. He felt pathetic pining for him now, at a time like this when there were more important matters to handle, but he couldn't help it. He wondered what he'd say.

But, another side of himself said, he's not even speaking to you, doesn't that tell you all you need to know right there?

Harsh as it was it was true. Maybe all Draco really wanted from him was a good snog or two, and if he got lucky a quick shag. Harry shook his head, how could he have thought that Draco Malfoy could ever love him?

Ever.

* * *

**el fin**

**I'm thinkin a threequel....?**


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